Canadian riders Sara Broekhuis-Rothstein and her husband, Joseph Rothstein, have worked hard to establish themselves in the heart of Europe’s showjumping universe. Based in Weert in the southern Netherlands’ fluorishing equestrian region, the couple’s background is truly international: Sara’s father is Canadian and her mother is Dutch, while Joseph’s mother is Canadian and his father is Polish.
Sara spent her early years in Montreal before moving to Amsterdam as a young child. “Horses were my passion as long as I can remember, but I didn’t grow up in a family that had the financial means to support a show career,” she says. Her grandparents had a maple farm and a few western horses that they rode for pleasure, and although she started riding at the age of nine, Sara’s education with horses didn’t begin in earnest until after graduation from university.
She admits that despite her specialization education in interior design, she knew deep down she would pursue a career in the horse industry. “I eventually decided to follow my heart and work with horses full time, and I got a job with a breeder in the south of Holland,” she remembers. “I lived in a small studio inside the barn and shared meals with the family every evening. It was a simple life, but it gave me everything I needed. I worked extremely hard and was grateful for every opportunity to ride. I didn’t have lessons or professional training, but I studied the good riders constantly – watching every detail in the warm-up rings, and learning by observing and trying.”
“Joseph and I share a mix of cultures, languages, and perspective that have shaped both our partnership and our business.”
In 2009, while working for a breeder and riding young horses, she met Joseph Rothstein. Joseph grew up in London, and his grandmother (who once bought a horse for John Whitaker) bought him his first pony. His father had hidden from the Nazis during the war as a young boy and eventually went into the British army, later playing the violin in the London Symphony Orchestra and playing on tracks for The Beatles and Cat Stevens.
“Joseph and I share a mix of cultures, languages, and perspective that have shaped both our partnership and our business,” says Sara of their dynamic. “Joseph also has an incredible natural talent for jumping – the kind of instinct you can’t teach.”
In 2012, the pair took a leap of faith and purchased a modest yard in the Netherlands, and their small operation buying, training, and selling a handful of three- or four-year-olds quickly earned them a good reputation.
“The margins were small, but we kept going, re-investing every bit that we could into the business. There were a few horses that were hard to let go of, but as a young couple trying to make ends meet, selling them was what kept the business alive.”
Selling horses they knew were special was at times difficult, she says. “In the early days, especially, every sale mattered financially, so we didn’t really have the luxury of holding on to special ones. There have been plenty of horses that touched our hearts and that we wished we could have kept, but I’ve learned that letting them go is part of giving them a chance to shine.”
The sale of their small operation allowed them to purchase their current property in 2017, where they eventually shifted their focus from dealing to building a top-class training facility for professional riders to base themselves in Europe. They host several 5* riders permanently, and today, JR Stables has seven private stable units with a total of 80 stalls, two outdoor arenas, an indoor arena, racetrack, 32 grass paddocks, and accommodation for rider and grooms.
This shift in their business operations has allowed the pair to do something they have always dreamed of – they now keep a few of their own horses to compete. “We now have four competition horses that are not for sale, and we enjoy the sport with them purely for the love of it. They are truly part of our family and they’re our partners and pets.”
As a partnership, the couple have defined responsibilities within the operation that allow them to seamlessly mix their personal and professional lives. Their skillsets compliment each other, says Sara, and together they’ve learned to respect each other’s strengths and develop a long-term vision.
“We’ve always been a team,” she says,” from mucking out and renovating barns, to making big business decisions.” Sara does the majority of the riding and day-to-day management of the horses, while Joseph oversees the operations and logistics. “We both have a good eye for horses, and we make every major decision together.”
Their plans for the future are expansive. “We want to keep developing our facility and creating a supportive environment for riders and horses at every level,” Sara says. “Between the horses, our three children, and the daily operation, our days are very full. On the sport side, we hope to step up a few levels with our own horses. I’m realistic; good horses to jump in the bigger shows cost fortunes and are well out of our budget, but I’m also hopeful – we are very lucky with the horses we have now.”
Above all, Sara says she is grateful for what they have built, together, and the promise of what is to come. “We started with almost nothing, and through hard work, long days, and a lot of love for what we do, we’ve built something we’re proud of. I never forget where I came from, and every time I ride under the Canadian flag it feels special – like carrying a piece of my heritage and my family with me.”
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